Bets and being Loved
by Mrs. Hotchner-Wolfe
Summary: Whilst out in the field, Emily Prentiss learns what it's like to win a bet and be loved. H/P


Emily Prentiss was ducking behind hedges, at the edge of a football field, outside the woods, with Aaron Hotchner close by. The field was deserted of it's usual occupants: schoolteachers and children, but full with local officers and FBI Agents. It always amazed Emily how different school grounds were when school was out. She glimpsed Hotch as she took in the field. He looked stressed as he rubbed his eyes. She couldn't blame him: If she had a child, there would be no way she could be as composed as he was.

______________________________________________________________

On the other side of the woods, JJ and Morgan held similar positions to Hotch and Emily.

"I hate this!" she said, exasperated.

"I know, but the woods are just too vast to cover. C'mon Jage, he'll come to us," Morgan reassured.

JJ signed, knowing he was right. Her thoughts were with her son. "I know."

______________________________________________________________

Rossi and Reid stood in the woods, searching the inner perimeter; Reid's thoughts on Austin, and their unborn child.

"Hey, Reid," Rossi called. "It's gonna be ok. We'll catch this guy."

"I wasn't worried," Reid muttered as they continued on.

_______________________________________________________________

The profile gave them a man in his late twenties to mid thirties; abused as a child; lived in the area all his life as he know the massive woods intimately. Wood a be respected member of the community and would have inserted himself into the investigation.

_______________________________________________________________

Emily watched as the officer carried the little girl, who had just emerged from the woods, toward them. He stopped in front of Hotch, while the girl was taken away by a female officer.

"She had this with her." He handed them a note.

It read: Catch me if you can!

Hotch looked at Emily, then at the girl. Emily realised his plan. "No."

"We need to get him out into the clearing."

"She's a little girl."

"The second he's in my sights, I'll fire."

Emily could do nothing but give in, believing that Hotch had everyone's best interests at heart.

She walked away from him and the officer.

"Prentiss," he said, after walking up to her a few minutes earlier. She looked at him. "I'm a good shot." She stared at him blankly. "If I make the shot, you give me what I want; if I don't, I give you what you want."

"You wanna bet on a little girl's life?"

"No! I wanna bet on an murdering paedophile's life. There's a difference." He held out his hand.

Emily glanced at it. "Well, when you put it like that…" She shook his hand, sealing the deal.

The little girl stood alone. Suddenly, she looked into the woods.. A hand emerged. Hotch grabbed his weapon and fired. Despite the situation, Emily smiled: He missed.

The little girl disappeared into the woods. Emily ran after her, followed by Hotch.

Emily suddenly realised that she was alone.

"Hotch?" She placed her hand close to her firearm, read to draw when she needed to. She heard a crunch and spun around to find the little girl standing in the clearing. "It's OK," she reassured.

She felt her hand by her gun wrap around her back and a hand cover her mouth. She was thrown to the ground and kicked.

"Patrickson!" Hotch called. Emily felt for her gun but her had taken it. "Let her go."

Emily repositioned herself on the ground and looked at Hotch. He nodded.

It took all her strength to extend her leg and deliver a kick to the back of the UnSubs knee. He fell to the ground as Rossi and Reid appeared from one side and JJ's voice from the another.

She stood, told everyone she was fine and walked off.

After a few minutes, she heard Hotch's voice come quietly from behind her. She turned to face him, clutching her shirt to her stomach. He walke up to her and pulled up her shirt, revealing her wounds.

"It's not as bad as it looks."

"Still, get it checked out," he told her. She nodded.

"Consequence of winning a bet."

"Would you mind if I tried to sway your decision?"

She smiled wearily. "You can try."

He walked closer to her and tilted her head so she was looking up at him, Then bent down and kissed her, softly and shortly.

When she looked up again, he was looking slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Did it work?"

Emily shook her head. "No… It was kinda what I had in mind."

**A/N: My very first Hotch/Prentiss fic. Please tell me what you think.**


End file.
